Lapping a barrel

[Renegade Dan]

I was wondering if any of you guys/gals lap your own barrels and what method you use? I would like to smooth out the barrel on my Jaeger. my cleaning patches always come out with little tears on them.

 

[onthefarm]

I heard one way was to use JB bore paste and a tight patch, run it up and down the barrel 20-30 times to smooth our burs.

 

[Rifleman1776]

A search should bring up another recent thread on this subject.
Barrels can be lapped. There are various means to do this. However, it usually is not required. How many times has your rifle been fired? A new barrel will self-slicker with 100 to 200 shots.
I'll let others pitch in on various methods as I believe you will be better served by just being patient and shooting the rifle.

 

[Lonegun1894]

One abrasive everyonbe has is toothpaste. It cuts very slowly, so it will take time, but it will also prevent you overdoing it without meaning to do so.

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

I use 0000 steel wool on an appropriately sized bore brush.

 

[rawhide]

I used valve lapping compound you get at a auto parts store and a tight fitting patch and about 50-60 strokes worked realy well on my cva .54 hawken rifle wich when I got was in bad shape now its a sweet shooter.

 

Dan,
I agree with Rawhide, valve grinding compound from the auto parts store. Take your time and use a good tight patch. As a finishing touch I also use the valve gringing compund as patch lube on several shots after lapping.
Mark

 

[Dphar]

I was wondering if any of you guys/gals lap your own barrels and what method you use? I would like to smooth out the barrel on my Jaeger. my cleaning patches always come out with little tears on them.

If its not the crown....
I would get some super fine scotch brite pads from the auto parts store and use this first.
If your want lap then:
Get some 320 and 600 Clover compound, cast a lap and use it. You should have rod with real bearings in the handle so it turns freely pushing or pulling to there is no excess pressure on the driving side of the lands.
Lap should not be pushed entirely out of the muzzle every time or you will enlarge the muzzle faster than the bore. Only push it out to recharge with compound.
Lap from the breech.
Use 320 till it feels pretty uniform after bumbing the lap up to a tight fit. Then switch to 600 for polish.
It can take hours to make much change in dimension/clean pits etc..

Scotch Brite is cheaper and should deburr the barrel OK.

Dan

 

[nkbj]

Started out using J&B in the late 70's. Still have the jar. Have used steel wool. Scotch bright. Clover compound. Rouge. The first muzzleloader I ever lapped I poured a wheel weight metal plug using an old cleaning brush. It worked.

Nowadays for a muzzleloader I will use fine silty clay-loam. Get it from the yard. When ever a little is needed all I have to do is grab a crawdad mound. Moisten it and put it on the patch. Shoot three shots, clean it and see how it's doing.

What I've found is that fire lapping smooths out what needs to be smoothed. And, that the very fine powdery grit supplied by nature works just fine.

 

[ohio ramrod]

I have lapped and salvaged many barrels and my method of salvaging bad condition barrels is to pour a lead lapping slug, use valve grinding coumpound or lapping coumpound. Then pour a new slug and use a polishing coumpound. Remember to use both a "throw away rod" since the coumpounds will embed into the rod. And always use a bore guide bushing. I NEVER do this on a new barrel only for slavaging barrels. For new barrels a bronse bore brush and tootpaste will remove any minor sharp edges of burrs. :idunno: :idunno:

 

[FRJ]

I do not believe that lapping a barrel does anything good for the barrel. Remember that when your polishing out the rough spots your also polishing out the good spots!!! All it really does is give you accelerated wear in your barrel.Unless the barrel is badly pitted all you need to do is shoot it. Just my 2 cents worth. FRJ

 

[aeatwood]

For a hunting gun, I agree. For a match gun, you probably want to save the 200-500 shots it would take to let shooting smooth it out.

According to Ned Roberts, when the old timers bored and rifled their own barrels, they lapped ALL of them. Any decent current barrel maker will probably turn out a more uniform barrel than the originals before they were finished. Once they were satisfied with the job, no way.